KEN DOHERTY WINS SECOND MR VEGAS WORLD SENIORS SNOOKER 900 TITLE IN EPSOM
Ken Doherty defeated Tony Drago in a dramatic blue ball shootout to win the Mr Vegas World Seniors Snooker 900 title at Epsom Downs Racecourse.
The victory means Doherty becomes the first player to win multiple titles under the World Seniors Snooker 900 format following his emotional success at Goffs earlier in the year.
Six players embarked on Epsom for the fourth edition of the unique and exciting event with Alfie Burden, Nigel Bond and Rory McLeod each making their debuts while Doherty, Drago and four-time World Seniors champion Jimmy White returned.
In a repeat of the final at Goffs last March, Doherty met White in the opening match of Group B. ‘The Whirlwind’ was looking to exact revenge after ‘The Darling of Dublin’ had defeated him in that title match and a 55 clearance saw White make the perfect start to the afternoon.
A win for 1995 world finalist and former British Open champion Bond over White on the final black then set up a dramatic conclusion to the group.
Doherty was able to advance to the semi-finals by overcoming the debutant and scoring a high break of two more points, while White topped the group courtesy of his half-century under the tie-break rules.
In Group A, Burden made a confident start to life under the World Seniors Snooker 900 format as he comfortably overcame both McLeod and Drago to reach the knockout stages as group winner. ‘The Tornado’ from Malta then beat McLeod to complete the semi-final line-up.
Both group winners were toppled at the semi-final stage as Burden was defeated by Doherty, while White was denied a fourth consecutive final by Drago.
Drago, who was competing in his maiden final under the format, made the perfect start to the best-of-three contest by firing in the day’s high break of 93 in the opener.
The Maltese cueist was in first in the second frame but broke down on 31, allowing Doherty to force a decider with a break of 56.
Another break of 56 saw Doherty take the initiative in the decider but Drago impressively held his nerve to clear the table and tie the frame – meaning a blue ball shootout would decide who took home the trophy.
The two players each potted the blue ball on their first attempt and it was Drago who was first to blink and he put his second effort wide of the target.
After taking a moment to compose himself, Doherty confidently fired home the title-winning blue ball to secure his second World Seniors Snooker 900 crown.
After the final, Doherty said: “I’m absolutely delighted! I wasn’t expecting it – I flew in this morning on a 7am flight. I love playing in the 900, I love the concept of it and it was a great final. To play Tony in the final was just amazing and to go down to the blue ball shoot out was was incredible.”
“I was just thinking when he potted the first blue in the shoot out – ‘just try and cue it, don’t twitch and put your elbow in the front row!’ Then, when he missed the second one, I was just thinking the same and it just went right in the middle and I said ‘yeah’ before it even went in. It was a lovely moment.”
Looking ahead to the 2025 World Seniors Snooker Championship, which has eluded Doherty so far in his illustrious career, he reflected: “I’ve been beaten in a couple of finals – last year against Igor (Figueiredo) and of course against Jimmy White when I was 4-0 up and I collapsed like a cheap tent but we won’t mention that! I’d love to win it but, if I don’t, it doesn’t matter – I’ve been very lucky and blessed in my life by playing the game that I love. I’m still playing it and I still love it!”
I can’t be certain who took yje great images but I spotted my friend Andy Chubb on the floor …
It was enjoyable as always. I like the format and obviously the players like it as well. The team in commentary and on the floor did a sterling job as always. Thank You Jason and everyone involved!
Here are some more pictures shared by Jason Francis on Twitter as the action unfolded
A total of 42 cueists took part in the event which was staged at The Crucible Club in Reading. Among those in action were previous event winners Alfie Burden, Dharminder Lilly and Norman as well as former World Seniors Championship winners Aaron Canavan and Lee Walker.
Norman, who won the previous event last month, began his campaign in the last 32 stage and overcame Bulgaria’s Ivan Kyupov 4-1 before securing a 4-2 victory over fellow countryman Daniel Stott to book his place in the final day.
Anthony Harris, who compiled the tournament high break of 121 on the opening day, was Norman’s opponent in the last eight stage and it was the event four champion that ran out a 4-1 victor to set up a semi-final meeting with Burden.
The two previous event winners went blow for blow in the early stages as the first four frames were shared, before a break of 77 saw Norman move one frame away from the final at 3-2 ahead.
Norman was then able to take the sixth frame to reach a second consecutive final in as many months.
His opponent in the title match was 40-year Gallaby, who had reached his first final of the season by defeating Matthew Ford and new World Seniors Snooker world number one Wayne Townsend on the final day.
Galbally led the best-of-seven frame frame both 2-0 and 3-2, but the former professional rallied to force a deciding frame at The Crucible Club before getting over the line to win his second title of the campaign.
Super Seniors Glory for Milliard
Andy Milliard defeated John Hunter 2-1 in the final of the latest Super Seniors event in Reading.
The event is open to all cueists over the age of 55 and was held on Sunday alongside the main Race to the Crucible series event.
Eighteen players competed in the event and Milliard dropped just a single frame en route to the final as he beat Simon Chandler, Dennis Tristram, Andy Booker and David Moritz.
He trailed Hunter 1-0 in the best-of-three frame final but held his nerve to secure the next two frames and take home his first Super Seniors title of the season.
The World Seniors Snooker (WSS) ranking lists have been updated following the fifth event of the Race to the Crucible series at The Crucible Club in Reading last weekend.
The top two players on the official WSS ranking list, as well as the top two on the ‘Race to the Crucible’ one-year list will earn their places in the World Seniors Championship, and they will be joined by the winner of a ‘Top 16 Shootout’ event – where players ranked between third and tenth on each list will compete for the final place.
One point is awarded for each frame won at an event and, should the same players sit in the top two of both rankings lists, then the official world rankings would take priority.
Townsend in Top Spot
Wayne Townsend is the new World Seniors Snooker (WSS) world number one following a run to the final of the latest event in Reading last weekend.
He holds an eleven point advantage over Stuart Watson, who has climbed back into the automatic Crucible qualification positions despite falling at the last 16 stage of event five.
A second successive title for Andrew Norman boosts him a further five places to third, just three points behind Watson, while event three winner Dharminder Lilly drops from joint-first to fourth in the ranking list.
Former World Seniors champion Aaron Canavan (5th) and event one champion Alfie Burden (7th) remain among a top ten that is made up by Philip Williams, Nigel Howe, Gerard Greene and Gary Filtness.
TOWNSEND TAKES THE LEAD
The continued consistency of Wayne Townsend has seen him also rise to first place in the ‘Race to the Crucible’ series ranking list after reaching the semi-finals last weekend in Reading.
Despite not yet taking home a title this season, Townsend has reached at least the quarter-finals of four of the five events staged so far and climbs to the summit of the rankings for the first time as a result.
Event three winner Dharminer Lilly, who fell in the last 16 of the latest event, drops to second place – three points behind the new leader.
Back-to-back champion Andrew Norman enters the top ten for the first time as he climbs a further five positions to eighth on the latest ranking list.
The remainder of the top ten at this stage is made up of Philip Williams, Aaron Canavan, Alfie Burden, Gerard Greene, Anthony Harris, Matthew Ford and Nigel Howe.
HUNTER FURTHERS THE LEAD
John Hunter has furthered his advantage at the top of the Super Seniors ranking list following a run to the final in Reading last weekend.
The 58-year-old Englishman now leads second-placed Mukesh Parmar by 13 points, while David Brock, Dennis Tristram and Ian Desmier make up the remainder of the top five after five events.
A first title of the season for Andy Milliard sees him jump to 14th position in the Super Seniors ranking list – just two points away from entering the top ten.
Event six of the Race to the Crucible series takes place on 17-19 January at The Crucible Club in Newbury. Enter now!
The WPBSA World Seniors Tour 